July 11, 2022

Beef Paya (Cow Trotters Curry)

Cow trotters cooked in a soupy broth until tender, using Bangladeshi spices.

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Cook Time 1

Course brunch, Main Course

Cuisine bengali

Servings 12

Equipment

Instant Pot or pressure cooker

Ingredients

4-5 lbs cow trotters
1/2 cup cooking oil divided
2 bay leaves
2 small cinnamon stick pieces
5 cardamom pods
12-15 whole black peppers
2 cloves
2 dry red chilies
1.5 cups diced onions
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
5 cups water
2 tbsp tamarind paste
8 cloves garlic chopped

Instructions

Wash the trotters VERY well and drain.
In the Instant Pot or a regular pressure cooker, heat 1/3 cup oil (save the rest for tempering at the end). Add all the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, whole black pepper, cloves & dry red chilies). Toast for 1 minute.
Add the onions and sauté until they start to turn golden.
Add ginger paste, garlic paste, followed by all the powder spices (salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chili powder & garam masala). Add a splash of water to prevent burning and sauté the masala for about 5 minutes, until the oil starts to separate and float to the top. Add more water and scrape with a spatula if you notice the masala is starting to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Now add all the trotters and combine well to ensure that the masala gets on every piece.
Add 5-6 cups water (make sure you don't go over the Instant Pot fill line) and pressure cook for 30 minutes.
If you're using tamarind paste that comes in a block with seeds, soak it in a half cup of water. Then loosen the seeds and discard them.
When done pressure cooking, do either a quick release or natural release on the Instant Pot. Add the tamarind paste.
Now adjust the following:
-water level: the paya curry should be very brothy, so ensure there is plenty of liquid. Add water if necessary and put the Instant Pot on sauté mode so it can come to a boil again.
-salt: add if necessary.
-tamarind: add more tamarind paste if you want a more tangy flavor.
In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and sauté the chopped garlic until golden. Add the garlic + oil to the paya.
Serve with rice flour roti, naan, or white rice. Enjoy!

Keyword paya

What is Paya?

Paya is a soupy curry in Bangladeshi cuisine made with cow trotters. This may seem strange from a Eurocentric viewpoint, but it’s a delicacy in many South Asian cultures. Different regions in South Asia have their own versions of this dish with slight differences. The Bangladeshi paya is light in spices and has a very thin and runny broth. Cow trotters are made of bones, meat, and fatty parts that simmer in that delicious broth until soft and flavorful. It is commonly served as a breakfast/brunch item when served with roti or naan, or can be enjoyed for lunch/dinner with white rice. It’s one of those special dishes that’s a very popular choice to make on Eid and other special occasions.

The Steps, in a Nutshell

I used to think paya is very complicated to make since it’s something that wasn’t made very often in my household. But it turns out it is very easy and the steps are just like making beef curry. The traditional way is very time consuming though, where you would cook the paya for 3+ hours. But with the invention of pressure cookers, that time has been cut down significantly. I use my Instant Pot to make paya, but you can really use any pressure cooker.

Start off by toasting whole spices and then sauteing together onion/garlic/ginger paste and powder spices. Bangladeshi paya is very light in spices so resist the urge to increase the masala. Then you simply toss the masala with the trotters (make sure you wash them very well first!) Don’t be intimidated by the gigantic pieces of trotters. It’s a little difficult to stir at first, but just do your best to get the masala on every piece. Then add lots of water (making sure not to go over the Instant Pot’s fill line) and pressure cook until the meat and fat are super tender.

Now the tamarind: Adding tamarind gives the broth a slightly tangy taste which is wonderful. Some people also use shatkora (a type of citrus) instead. If you have the tamarind that comes in a block with seeds, soak about 2 tbsps in some water to loosen up the seeds. Then discard the seeds and add the tamarind paste to the paya. If your tamarind doesn’t come with seeds, no need to do the soaking part.

The adjusting part here is important. You’ll need to make sure the water level is right. Add more water if there isn’t enough broth or put the Instant Pot on sauté mode to reduce the liquid a little if necessary. The video below will show you how the finished product is supposed to look. Also adjust the salt and tamarind to your liking.

The last step is to temper some garlic (this is called bagar). Just fry some chopped garlic in a little oil and pour it over the paya. Adds such a delicious aroma!

Gimme the Visuals

What Do I Serve Paya With?

A classic Bangladeshi combination is paya and rice flour rotis. Since rice flour rotis are not easy to make and even harder to find in stores, I also like to have it with naan. And for a hearty meal, you can’t go wrong with having it with white rice.